Academy of American Studies celebrate its win over Long Island City.Damion Reid

Academy of American Studies was playing for first place, the culmination of everything the Eagles worked for this year. A win against Long Island City would assure them a share of the PSAL Queens I boys volleyball title.

Yet coach Josh Yang had an odd rule for the match.

“I made sure that my guys showed an extreme amount of respect before and after,” he said after his team won 24-26, 25-21, 25-16. “I told them no celebrating.”

Yang had a good reason. It was a special day at Long Island City. The Bulldogs were honoring their former manager Elaine Galindo, who died last month in a car crash on the Grand Central Parkway. They hung a jersey with her name on it above the scorer’s table, wore black armbands in her honor like they have all season and invited her parents to come and watch the match. Beforehand, LIC coach Mark Skorupski gave a speech and called for a moment of silence.

Winning and losing was clearly not the most important thing Thursday and Yang made sure his players knew that. He has a close relationship with Skorupski and the Long Island City kids from summers together at the Big Apple Games.

“My guys, they know,” Yang said. “They understand the situation.”

The match actually embodies everything Yang stresses. Sure, Academy of American Studies (8-2) took a piece of the division title for the first time in his tenure, but it was how the Eagles did it that he is most proud of.

“This year, we’ve had our ups and downs,” Yang said. “But we’re doing it the right way. We still ended up at the top, sharing first place. That’s what’s special about it. We didn’t just do it because we’re volleyball kids. We did it because we’re academic kids, good character kids and good volleyball kids.”

The latter certainly showed itself off in the final two sets. American Studies got leads early and held onto them despite furious rallies by Long Island City (7-2). Nino Hot was critical down the stretch. His kills made up two of the final three points of the match and the junior finished with 15 altogether. Then, the Eagles were allowed to celebrate.

“If he hits like that, we’re going to lean on him,” Yang said.

It wasn’t only Hot. Freshman Michal Kasza had 12 kills and senior Eric Wong added 11. Senior setter Enis Pula had 21 assists and classmate Florjan Hyka added 10. That epitomized what Yang wants out of his 6-2 rotation: to spread the ball around with both of his playmakers. Sophomore libero Ricky Myint had 17 digs.

“If we perform to our level, we have the ability to beat anybody in the city,” the coach said.

Yang said the goal is to get past the second round of the PSAL playoffs, which begin March 6. But what the coach is really excited about is the future. With Kasza, Myint, Hot and middles Conrad Zajkowski and Sam Vail all back next year, Academy of American Studies might have first place in Queens I on lock for the foreseeable future.

“Even more than this season, I’m really trying to set up a system and a program for next season and moving forward,” Yang said.